1983 United Kingdom general election in Wales

none September 2017 1983 United Kingdom general election in Wales Wales parliamentary no 1979 United Kingdom general election in Wales 1979 List of MPs for constituencies in Wales (1979–1983) 1987 United Kingdom general election in Wales 1987 All 38 Welsh seats to the House of Commons List of MPs for constituencies in Wales (1983–1987) 9 June 1983 76.1% (3.3 pp) Michael Foot (1981).jpg 120 120 160 0 0 Michael Foot 10 November 1980 Labour Party (UK) Blaenau Gwent 21 seats, 46.9% 23boundary change Notional 1979 results. 20speaker Figure includes Speaker of the House of Commons George Thomas in Cardiff West. 3Notional Indicates boundary change—so this is a nominal figure. 603,858 37.5% 9.4 pp Margaret Thatcher (1983).jpg 120 120 160 0 0 Margaret Thatcher Finchley 11 February 1975 Conservative Party (UK) 11 seats, 32.2% 12boundary change 14 2Notional 499,310 31.0% 1.2 pp David Steel 1985 (cropped).jpg 120 120 160 0 0 David Steel 7 July 1976 Liberal Party (UK) SDP–Liberal Alliance Tweeddale, Ettrick and Lauderdale 2 seats, 10.6% 1boundary change 1 1Notional 194,988 12.1% 1.5 pp Eisteddfod Genedlaethol Cymru 1979, Caernarfon (1532888) (cropped).jpg 120 120 160 0 0 Dafydd Wigley 1981 Plaid Cymru Caernarfon 2 seats, 8.0% 2boundary change 2 Notional 125,309 7.8% 0.2 pp Roy Jenkins 1977 (cropped).jpg 120 120 160 0 0 Roy Jenkins 2 July 1982 Social Democratic Party (UK) SDP–Liberal Alliance Glasgow Hillhead Did not stand 0boundary change 0 Notional 178,370 11.1% New party On Thursday 9 June 1983, the 1983 United Kingdom general election was held in Wales, to elect all 650 members of the House of Commons, with 38 constituencies being in Wales. As party of the third periodic review of Westminster constituencies, the boundaries were changed in Wales, with the number of constituencies increased from 36 to 38 contested between the general elections in 1955 and 1979. Thatcher's decisive leadership in the Falklands War had led to a British victory and a recovery of her personal and the government's popularity in 1982, and economic growth had simultaneously resumed. The Conservative Party won a landslide victory across the United Kingdom. Nationally, when combined with results from across the United Kingdom, the election saw the Conservatives winning a landslide victory, improving on their 1979 result and achieving their best results since 1935. Background Thatcher was a controversial figure in Wales. In 1983 Thatcher launched the election campaign at a rally in Cardiff attempting to appeal to Labour voters. She led the Conservative Party to its best general election result in Wales with 14 seats.18 March 2011 Margaret Thatcher: Her contested legacy in Wales en-GB BBC News https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-wales-12788889 9 December 2022 In 1985 Thatcher began her coal mine closing programme. She closed multiple mines in South Wales including; Aberpergwm, Abertillery, Bedwas, Garw, Margam, Penrhiwceiber, St Johns and Treforgan. In 1986 Thatcher also closed Bersham, Cwm and Nantgarw coal mines.http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/3500979.stm Pit closures, year by year 5 March 2004 BBC News 9 December 2022 en-GB9 August 2021 Steve Davies The pit closures of the 1980s – part of Mrs Thatcher's green eco-strategy? Wales Institute of Social and Economic Research and Data https://wiserd.ac.uk/blog/the-pit-closures-of-the-1980s-part-of-mrs-thatchers-green-eco-strategy/ 9 December 2022 en-GB In response to the closures, one Welsh union worker said: "Thatcher killed, killed this town... we were always tainted with that brush of, of what Thatcher did to us to be quite honest." The closures led to decades of unemployment, under-employment, ill health, increased crime, increased drug use and a lack of hope in the Welsh valleys. Many parts of the valleys are still yet to fully recover from these effects. Candidates Below is a table summarising the candidates of the 1983 general election in Wales.https://researchbriefings.files.parliament.uk/documents/CBP-7529/CBP-7529.pdf UK Election Statistics: 1918-2023, A Century of Elections Cracknell Richard Uberoi Elise Burton Matthew 9 August 2023 House of Commons Library 23 8 August 2026https://api.parliament.uk/uk-general-elections/general-elections/39 UK General Elections Results 1832-2019 12 August 2026British Electoral Facts Colin Rallings Micheal Thrasher Total Politics 978-1-907278-03-7 49 2006 Affiliation CandidatesLabour Party 38speaker Conservative and Unionist Party 38Plaid Cymru 38Liberal Party 19Social Democratic Party 19Ecology Party 7Communist Party of Great Britain 3Independent 3The candidates that stood were Richard Booth in Brecon and Radnorshire, David Rowlands in Montgomeryshire and G. S. Phillips in Pembrokeshire.British National Party 1Workers Revolutionary Party 1Computer Democrat 1Candidate J. Donovan stood in Neath.Freedom from World Domination 1Candidate Benjamin Lewis stood in Cardiff South and Penarth.Total 169 Analysis Although he Conservatives won the general election,UK Election Statistics: 1918-2022, A Long Century of Elections https://researchbriefings.files.parliament.uk/documents/CBP-7529/CBP-7529.pdf House of Commons Library 22 the Labour Party won the most votes in Wales. The Labour Party again won a majority of Welsh MPs, but the party's vote share declined by 9.4% and they lost three seats. In this election popular vote and percentage gap produced between Labour and Conservative parties would be the smallest one up until 2019 UK general election. The Conservative Party also won its greatest number on top of his high in the previous election, and which would also only be matched in the 2019 result in Wales. In terms of changes in seats between the Labour Party and Conservatives, The Conservatives gained two seats. It won the newly created seat of Cardiff Central. Conservative candidate Stefan Terlezki won Cardiff West from Labour, with the seat being held by retiring Speaker of the House of Commons George Thomas. Several boundaries changes had occurred between this election and the last, with the Conservative Party holding Anglesey, Brecon and Radnorshire, Pembrokeshire, Cardiff North, Conwy and Monmouth, as well as nominally Clwyd North West and Clwyd South West. It won the new seats of Bridgend, Delyn, Newport West and Vale of Glamorgan. However, the Conservatives lost one seat, with the Liberal Party, which was in the SDP–Liberal Alliance with the newly-formed Social Democratic Party, regained the seat of Montgomeryshire, which it had lost at the previous election.2005-04-05 Ups and downs on Welsh vote trail en-GB http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/politics/vote_2005/wales/4397111.stm BBC News 2020-09-15 Across the UK the Conservatives won a landslide majority and continued in office for a second term.http://www.parliament.uk/documents/commons-information-office/m09.pdf GENERAL ELECTION RESULTS, 9 JUNE 1983 1984 6 August 2018 Accordingly, Liberal candidate Alex Carlile entered Parliament. The Liberal Party retained Ceredigion, which had primarily replaced it previously-held Liberal seat of Cardiganshire. Its allies, the Social Democratic Party fielded as many candidates as the Liberal Party, obtaining an almost even vote share with the Liberal, although it did not achieve any representation in terms of the seats in Wales. Plaid Cymru retained two seats, holding the new seats which replaced its old seats. These were Meirionnydd Nant Conwy and Caernarfon. Results Below is a table summarising the results of the 1983 general election in Wales, the changes are compared with the notional results following the redistribution of seats before the election. +Partyhttps://researchbriefings.files.parliament.uk/documents/CBP-7529/CBP-7529.pdf UK Election Statistics: 1918-2023, A Century of Elections Cracknell Richard Uberoi Elise Burton Matthew 9 August 2023 House of Commons Library 22-23 8 August 2026British Electoral Facts Colin Rallings Micheal Thrasher Total Politics 978-1-907278-03-7 49 2006SeatsAggregate votes Total Gains Losses Net Of total (%) Total Of total (%) Change (%)   Labour 20speaker 0 3 3 52.6 603,858 37.5 9.4   Conservative 14 3 1 2 36.8 499,310 31.0 1.2   SDP–Liberal Alliance 2 colspan=2 New 1 5.3 373,358 23.2 New Liberal Party (UK) 2 1 0 1 5.3 194,988 12.1 1.5 Social Democratic Party (UK) 0 colspan=3 New — 178,370 11.1 New   Plaid Cymru 2 0 0 5.3 125,309 7.8 0.2   Ecology Party 0 0 0 — 3,510 0.2 0.1   Communist 0 0 0 — 2,015 0.1 0.2   Independent 0 colspan=3 Did not stand in 1979 — 901 0.1   Workers Revolutionary 0 0 0 — 256 0.0   Freedom 0 colspan=3 New — 165 0.0 New   BNP 0 colspan=3 New — 154 0.0 New   Computer Democrat 0 colspan=3 New — 150 0.0 New Total 38 0 100.0 1,608,986 100.0 0.0 Registered voters, and turnout 76.1https://researchbriefings.files.parliament.uk/documents/CBP-7529/CBP-7529.pdf UK Election Statistics: 1918-2023, A Century of Elections Cracknell Richard Uberoi Elise Burton Matthew 9 August 2023 House of Commons Library 29 8 August 2026 3.3 Popular vote #ddd 600px 410px Labour Labour Party (UK) 37.5 Conservative Conservative Party (UK) 31.0 Alliance SDP-Liberal Alliance 23.2 Plaid Cymru Plaid Cymru 7.8 Other #777777 0.4 Parliament seats #ddd 600px 410px Labour Labour Party (UK) 52.6 Conservative Conservative Party (UK) 36.8 Alliance SDP-Liberal Alliance 5.3 Plaid Cymru Plaid Cymru 5.3 See also 1983 United Kingdom general election in England 1983 United Kingdom general election in Scotland 1983 United Kingdom general election in Northern Ireland List of MPs for constituencies in Wales (1983–1987) Notes References Politics Wales United Kingdom Category:1983 in Wales Category:1980s elections in Wales 1983 #Wales